The present invention relates to operation of a computer system, and more particularly to operation of such a system having add-in devices.
Many computer systems have one or more “add-in” devices to provide desired functional features. Add-in devices include such devices as video capture devices, communications devices, and disk caches, for example. Such add-in devices typically include optional read-only memories (ROMs) (option ROM's) having embedded control software stored therein. Typically, the control software of an add-in device includes an initialization task for configuring the add-in device. Generally, the contents of the option ROM's of the add-in devices are fixed upon manufacture, although certain add-in devices allow the contents to be completely updated in the field (e.g., while located in a system) to fix so-called “bugs.”
However, there is no ability for a portion of the contents of the option ROM to be dynamically changed to allow for support and compatibility of the add-in device with the associated computer system or other such device.
More so, in systems having a disk cache provided on an add-in device with an option ROM, it is typically difficult for the option ROM to connect in with and monitor disk requests in a pre-boot environment. As such, cache coherency cannot be maintained. Thus there is a need to permit an option ROM associated with a disk cache to monitor disk requests in a pre-boot environment.